Algorithms, Part 2 of 3
Topics
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Problem Solving Examples
Pseudocode
Control Structures
Reading
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Section 3.3 - 3.10 (don’t worry about understanding
the C code, just the pseudocode)
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Problem Solving
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Decode this sentence:
Pdeo eo pda yknnayp wjosan.
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We have just come up with a specific solution
to a problem.
Can this solution be generalized?
2
Problem Solving (con’t)
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Now that we know what algorithms are, we
are going to try some problem solving and
write algorithms for the problems.
We’ll start with step-by-step instructions that
solve a particular problem and then write a
generic algorithm that will solve any problem
of that type.
3
Someone Stole a Cookie from the
Cookie Jar
Problem: Momma had just filled the cookie jar
when the 3 children went to bed. That night
one child woke up, ate half of the cookies
and went back to bed. Later, the second
child woke up, ate half of the remaining
cookies, and went back to bed. Still later,
the third child woke up, ate half of the
remaining cookies, leaving 3 cookies in the
jar. How many cookies were in the jar to
begin with?
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Specific Solution to the Cookie
Problem
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First, we solve the specific problem to help us
identify the steps.
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3 cookies left X 2 = 6 cookies left after
2nd child
6 X 2 = 12 cookies left after 1st child
12 X 2 = 24 = original number of cookies
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A Generic Algorithm
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What is a generic algorithm for this problem?
An algorithm that will work with any number of
remaining cookies
AND
that will work with any number of children.
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Generic Algorithm for Cookie
Problem
Get number of children.
 Get number of cookies remaining.
 While there are still children that have
not raided the cookie jar, multiply the
number of cookies by 2 and reduce
the number of children by 1.
 Display the original number of
cookies.
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Pseudocode
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When we broke down the previous problem
into steps, we expressed each step as an
English phrase.
We can think of this as writing pseudocode for
the problem.
Typically, pseudocode is a combination of
English phrases and formulas.
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Pseudocode (con’t)
 Pseudocode is used in
 designing algorithms
 communicating an algorithm to the customer
 converting an algorithm to code (used by the
programmer)
 debugging logic (semantic) errors in a solution
before coding (hand tracing)
 Let’s write the Cookie Problem algorithm
using a more formal pseudocode and being
more precise.
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Improved Pseudocode
Display “Enter the number of children: “
Read <number of children>
Display “Enter the number of cookies remaining: “
Read <cookies remaining>
<original cookies> = <cookies remaining>
While (<number of children> > 0)
<original cookies> = <original cookies> X 2
<number of children> = <number of children> - 1
End_While
Display “Original number of cookies = “, <original cookies>
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Observations
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Any user prompts should appear exactly as you
wish the programmer to code them.
The destination of any output data should be
stated, such as in “Display”, which implies the
screen.
Make the data items clear (e.g., surround them by
< and > ) and give them descriptive names.
Use formulas wherever possible for clarity and
brevity.
Use keywords (such as Read and While) and use
them consistently. Accent them in some manner.
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Observations (con’t)
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Use indentation for clarity of logic.
Avoid using code. Pseudocode should not be
programming language-specific.
Always keep in mind that you may not be the person
translating your pseudocode into programming
language code. It must, therefore, be unambiguous.
You may make up your own pseudocode guidelines,
but you MUST be consistent.
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Brian’s Shopping Trip
Problem: Brian bought a belt for $9 and a shirt
that cost 4 times as much as the belt. He
then had $10. How much money did Brian
have before he bought the belt and shirt?
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Specific Solution to Shopping
Problem
Start$ = Belt$ + Shirt$ + $10
Start$ = Belt$ + (4 X Belt$) + $10
Start$ = 9 + (4 X 9) + 10 = $55
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Generic Algorithm for Shopping
Problem
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Now, let’s write a generic algorithm to solve
any problem of this type.
What are the inputs to the algorithm?
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the cost of the first item (doesn’t matter that it’s a
belt): <item1 price>
the number to multiply the cost of the first item by to
get the cost of the second item: <multiplier>
the amount of money left at the end of shopping:
<amount left>
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Generic Algorithm for Shopping
Problem (con’t)
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What are the outputs from the algorithm?
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the amount of money available at the start of the
shopping trip: <start amount>
Note that we may end up needing some
intermediate variables.
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Pseudocode
Display “Enter the price of the first item: “
Read <item 1 price>
Display “Enter the multiplier: “
Read <multiplier>
Display “Enter the amount left after shopping: “
Read <amount left>
<item2 price> = <multiplier> X <item1 price>
<start amount> = <item1 price> + <item2 price> +
<amount left>
Display “The starting amount was “, <start amount>
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Control Structures
Any problem can be solved using only three
logical control structures:
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Sequence
Selection
Repetition
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Sequence
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A series of steps or statements that are
executed in the order they are written.
Example:
Display “Enter two numbers: “
Read <number1>
Read <number2>
<sum> = <number1> + <number2>
Display “sum = “, <sum>
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Selection
 Defines one or more courses of action
depending on the evaluation of a condition.
 Synonyms: conditional, branching,
decision
 Examples:
If (condition is true)
do this
End_if
If (condition is true)
do this
Else
do that
End_if
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Repetition
 Allows one or more statements to be repeated
as long as a given condition is true.
 Synonyms: looping, iteration
 Example:
While (condition is true)
do this
End_while
 Notice the repetition structure in the Cookie
Problem pseudocode.
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